Alexander (Sandy) Milne

I was misquoted in two letters in the Beacon on December 13 by J Beattie and Dave Stewart and I correct them both.

In my response to the "What makes a good leader?" (Beacon, November 27) opinion piece by councillor Nandor Tanczos, I did not suggest that Tanczos' advice would make an excellent lecture to fourth formers in our high schools as Mr Stewart wrote.

My words were: "... could well be helpful". I was conceding that I could be wrong; not giving councillor Tanczos Brownie points for excellence.

Mr Beattie's shorter letter was more bothersome. Where did he get the idea that I wrote that "good leadership is not required of a mayor”?  I did no such thing.

Good leadership is vital.  Mayor Victor Luca is a manifestly capable leader.  The problem is that most councillors are less aware or concerned about the burden that frivolous council spending inflicts on less well-off ratepayers.

I advise councillors to get in behind our mayor or explain to us all why they are so trigger-happy in spending our ratepayer dollars on nice-to-have schemes that can wait while we recover from recent setbacks.

Mr Beattie should get his facts right. I have checked on Dr Luca’s pre-mayoral election promises and nowhere did I see him “promises to lower rates, build a new bridge, or build a solar farm", as Mr Beattie asserts.  Dr Luca did promise to do his best to keep downward pressure on rates, advocate for a second bridge and support solar power development.  

All of us can see that our mayor Victor Luca is continually thwarted by councillors. For example, his frequent efforts to cut unnecessary spending and keep rates low in consideration of residents on low or fixed incomes has been repeatedly out-voted by councillors; the very people who should be leading our community in supporting him.

If Mr Beattie had attended WAG's presentation to councillors last Thursday and witnessed Philip Jacobs, retired accountant, as he educated our big-spending councillors, he might not have written the letter.

In summary, councillors should publicly show leadership and support for our mayor if they wish to be re-elected and Beacon correspondents should be factual and not distort views expressed in our local newspaper.